Prime minister Keir Starmer outlined the new immigration measures in a press conference on 12 May 2025, as part of a white paper designed to bring down net migration.<\/p>\n
But concerns have been raised that the changes will negatively impact smaller businesses already struggling under the skills gap- especially construction, which relies heavily on workers from abroad across skill levels.<\/p>\n
The new immigration rules will come into effect over the course of this parliament, with the first changes expected in the next few weeks.<\/p>\n
The upcoming Immigration White Paper will also outline the creation of a Temporary Shortage List, which will allow limited access to the points-based system for occupations with long-term shortages.<\/p>\n
The most recent net migration figures saw around 1,207,000 come to the UK, whilst 479,000 left, totalling 728,000. This was a decrease of 20% on 2022’s figures.<\/p>\n
The changes could come “potentially at the cost of compromising sector development,” according to Lousie Haycock, partner at immigration law firm Fragomen. She warned that raising the skill standard to RQF6 could \u201ccut off critical supply in sectors [like construction] where alternative UK talent pipelines<\/a> do not yet exist\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cConstruction businesses require skills across a panoply of levels \u2013 and there are concerns as to whether the new system\u2019s exceptions will be adequately calibrated and sensitive to this,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n The Home Office elaborated on the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) rise, saying that the money acquired would support skills funding for some sectors to reduce their reliance on migration and upskill the UK workforce<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe government\u2019s decision to reduce the number of international workers and students comes at a time when they have ambitious plans to drive growth, including delivering 1.5 million new homes.<\/p>\n “Architects are vital to achieving this, but the sector has a significant skills shortage. We need an immigration system that helps plug these gaps.<\/p>\n \u201cWe welcome the desire to nurture homegrown talent, and we continue to champion new and accessible routes into the profession, such as apprenticeships. But the potential of defunding Level 7 apprenticeships puts this at risk.<\/p>\n \u201cWe continue to work with the Government to ensure a pipeline of talent in the architecture sector and drive growth across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n After Reform UK picked up over 650 councillor seats in the recent local elections over the Conservatives and Labour losses of 674 and 187 respectively, some have accused Labour of shifting massively to the right in response, Labour MPs such as Nadia Whittome among them.<\/p>\n The step-up in anti-migrant rhetoric from the government is shameful and dangerous.<\/p>\n Migrants are our neighbours, friends and family.<\/p>\n To suggest that Britain risks becoming \u201can island of strangers\u201d because of immigration mimics the scaremongering of the far-right.<\/p>\n \u2014 Nadia Whittome MP (@NadiaWhittomeMP) May 12, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nRIBA president, Muyiwa Oki<\/b>\u00a0said:<\/h4>\n
The new immigration rules have been met with mixed responses across the political spectrum<\/h3>\n
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